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emotionally focused couple therapy  

Definition

  • Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT), first formulated in the early 1980s, is now accepted as a validated intervention for relationship distress and as appropriate for diverse kinds of distressed couples, including those dealing with traumatic stress, depression, illness, and problems with forgiveness and the renewal of trust. This short-term therapy (8 to 20 sessions) aims to help couples see and reshape the negative cycles of interaction, such as the demand-withdraw pattern, in which one partner's requests for changes are met by withdrawal rather than open consideration, that undermine their emotional bond and to clarify emotional signals so that needs and fears can be addressed. [Source: Encyclopedia of Human Relationships; Emotionally focused couple therapy]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/emotionally_focused_couple_therapy

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